Shopping at warehouse clubs can shave pennies or even dollars off your purchases. True, it's not for everyone -- or every thing. The membership-based retail stores for the most part carry bulk items: industrial-sized jars of pickles and jumbo packs of toilet paper. Buying a gazillion rolls of paper towels at a time probably doesn't make sense if you're single and living in an apartment with little extra space.
But for small, easily stored items -- and for large ones that you know you're going to run through quickly -- a Costco or a Sam's Club can yield real savings. Even buying some perishable items in bulk makes sense if you use them frequently. (On the other hand, some great buys make little sense for many households, which is why several of these items appear on a do-not-buy list, too.)
We compared grocery store, drugstore and warehouse club prices to find the best things to buy in bulk. Prices vary from store to store, of course, but here are some clear bulk-buying bargains:
1. Cooking oil
If you do a lot of frying, it definitely makes sense to buy cooking oil at a warehouse club.Buying big at a typical grocery store means getting the 1-gallon (128-ounce) size of Mazola corn oil for $11.99. That works out to 9.4 cents per ounce, which is about 77% more than you'll pay per ounce if you opt for the 2.5-gallon (320-ounce) container of Mazola at Costco. It sells for $16.99, or about 5.3 cents per ounce. You save 4.1 cents per ounce.
If the money you save inspires you to eat more fried food, though, it may turn out to be no bargain for your health.
2. Toothbrushes
The American Dental Association says your toothbrush won't work as well if it's old and worn. Keeping new ones on hand is affordable if you buy them in bulk.An Oral B CrossAction Pro-Health toothbrush will run you $4.49 at a Rite Aid Pharmacy, where you can also get a two-pack for $7.99 (about $4 each).
But Sam's Club sells a six-pack of the same toothbrushes for $13.88, or about $2.30 each. That's a savings of $2.19 (or just under 50%) off the drugstore price for an individual brush, which should give you something to smile about.
3. Cereal
Breakfast is often called the most important meal of the day, so you don't want to economize by skipping it. But that doesn't mean you can't save some money by buying your cereal in bulk, especially if the brand is a tried-and-tested family favorite.
Why pay $5.59 for a 25.25-ounce box of Honey Nut Cheerios at a typical grocery store when you can get a 49-ounce box for $6.67 at Sam's Club? You'll save 8.5 cents per ounce, or 39%. And the cereal in the club-size box comes in two bags rather than one to prevent it from getting stale. Keeping it from getting soggy in the milk is up to you.
Of course, bulk buying can backfire. For an argument against buying cereal in bulk, check out "15 things not to buy in bulk."
4. Antiseptic wipes
Nobody wants their home to be a breeding ground for germs, and antiseptic wipes offer a convenient way to fight bacteria by swabbing kitchen counters and bathroom surfaces.If you take cleanliness to Adrian Monk-like extremes, though, you'll want to get a volume discount. At a Walgreens drugstore you can expect to pay $5.79 for an 80-count tub, which works out to 7.2 cents per wipe.
Costco recently offered three 110-count tubs of Lysol disinfecting wipes for $12.59 -- about 3.8 cents each. That's a savings of 3.4 cents per wipe.
5. Vitamins
Centrum Silver multivitamins promise to give people older than 50 the nutrients they need to protect their hearts, bones and vision. But to protect their bank accounts, they'll want to get the best possible deal, and that means buying at a warehouse club.Centrum Silver costs $20.49 for a 220-count bottle at a Walgreens drugstore, which is a pretty good deal at 9.3 cents per vitamin pill.
At Sam's Club, a 270-count bottle costs $18.22, which works out to 6.7 cents per pill. That is a savings of 2.6 cents (about 28%) each, which should make those vitamins easier to swallow.
For an argument against buying vitamins in bulk, check out "15 things not to buy in bulk."
6. Soup
Many people believe buying organic food is better for the planet and for their health, but few would argue it's easier on their wallets.Stocking up can help. A single 14-ounce can of Amy's organic minestrone or lentil soup will cost you $3.29 at a typical grocery store.
But Costco recently offered an eight-pack of 14-ounce cans (four minestrone and four lentil) for $11.99. You'd save about $1.79, or 54%, on each can. Suddenly eating organic seems more palatable.